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Robert Griffin III could be Redskins starting quarterback for Week 1

The Redskins believe Robert Griffin III could be their Week 1 starting quarterback. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Robert Griffin III could be the Washington Redskins' Week 1 starting quarterback next season.

Though it's obviously premature to say the least, team officials believe that RGIII has a legitimate chance of starting for the Redskins in the first game of the 2013-14 season, according to a report Thursday morning from Adam Schefter of ESPN. RGIII is only one month into rehab after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his knee to repair a torn ACL and MCL suffered in a season-ending loss to the Seattle Seahawks in early January.

Sports Illustrated reported that it would be optimistic to see him back in eight to 12 months, so this latest news is a bit of a positive deviation. Schefter said despite the fact that RGIII is at the front-end of his rehab, the Redskins are encouraged enough by his progress to believe that is "within the realm of possibility" that RGIII could start come Week 1.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who underwent major knee surgery prior to the season, returned on-time and ended up rushing for 2,097 yards, second-most in NFL history - nine yards shy of Eric Dickerson's single-season record - en route to being named MVP for the NFL at the end of the season.